14 things to watch for in 2014

Now that we’re into the New Year, it's time to take a look at what's coming in 2014.

While the 2014 midterm elections seem to be a major national news topic, there are plenty of local elections that could affect your life just as much, if not more.

Also, expect the trend of new restaurant and business openings to continue and discussion to get heated over a request to transform the former Nissan dealership into a retail center.

Several development projects are in the works, including the expansion of Sendero in Rancho Mission Viejo and plans by St. Michael's Abbey to build its new home on the former Holtz Ranch.

1. Elections: There are a number of local seats up for grabs this year. The Rancho Santa Margarita City Council will have three seats open up for grabs in November. Mayor Pro Tem Brad McGirr has already announced his candidacy for re-election, whereas Councilman Steve Baric said he hasn’t made up his mind yet. Councilman Jesse Petrilla is campaigning to fill the seat of termed-out Assemblywoman Diane Harkey in the 73rd Assembly District. There also will be elections for Capistrano Unified and Saddleback Valley Unified school districts, Santa Margarita and Trabuco Canyon water districts, Orange County’s 5th Supervisorial District, Silverado-Modjeska Recreation and Park District, and the Rancho Santa Margarita Landscape and Recreation Corp. board of directors.

2. Former Nissan site: The Rancho Santa Margarita City Council on Wednesday is expected to discuss on Jan. 8 whether to rezone the former Nissan dealership site so that the owner can build a retail center there anchored by a large sports club such as 24 Hour Fitness. The 4.75-acre property and the other dealership sites along Santa Margarita Parkway are designated exclusively for auto-related uses. The Planning Commission has recommended against the rezoning, saying it would disrupt the synergy of the dealerships and erode the potential for a major source of sales tax revenue for the city.

3. St. Michael’s Abbey: The abbey is expected to start construction this year on its new Silverado Canyon campus, which has been controversial with some residents. St. Michael’s Abbey had to shrink its private boys school in Trabuco Canyon after the land became unstable years ago. The abbey bought the former Holtz Ranch along Silverado Canyon Road and plans to move its school there and build a new chapel, athletic fields, a convent and more.

4. Coto patrols: The communities of Coto de Caza and Rancho Santa Margarita will explore a potential partnership that would mean proactive Orange County Sheriff’s Department patrols for traffic enforcement behind Coto’s gates. Excessive speeding and accidents drove Coto to push for a new state law, which took effect Jan. 1 and lets homeowners associations contract with cities or counties Orange County for services.

5. Chiquita Ridge: The city of Rancho Santa Margarita will continue to consider development options for Chiquita Ridge, a 92-acre property the city acquired after settling a lawsuit with the county in 2009 over a land dispute. As part of the settlement agreement, the city must dedicate at least 23 acres to a sports park and 37 acres for open space if it decides to develop the land. The city’s consultant firm is conducting analyses on different uses for the portion of the land that can be developed, including a residential community and a shopping center. The city also will begin restoring 82.9 acres of habitat in O’Neill Regional Park as part of the settlement.

6. Silverado Elementary: OC Parks bought the Silverado Elementary School site in 2013, more than four years after Orange Unified School District shut it down to save money. This year, the county is expected to make progress on transforming the abandoned school as the Silverado Library moves there and offices are set up for OC Parks rangers and Sheriff’s Department deputies. It remains to be seen whether the county will consider residents’ requests for an equestrian center, swimming pool and more on the rest of the property.

7. Toll roads: The operator of the Orange County toll roads plans to remove all its cash toll booths in May. The Transportation Corridor Agencies will add a new payment option called ExpressAccount, which won’t require a transponder. If you sign up for the account and register your license plate numbers, you can choose to prepay, receive a monthly bill invoice or have tolls charged to your credit card. Transponder users will continue to pay the lowest tolls, TCA spokeswoman Lori Olin said. Those without ExpressAccount or transponders can make one-time payments online within 48 hours after driving on the toll road. Information: thetollroads.com.

8. New businesses: Rancho Santa Margarita saw a slew of new businesses opening in town last year, filling high profile locations such as the former BallPark Pizza and former Borders bookstore sites. The trend will continue into 2014. A Sport Clips is set to open Feb. 15 in the former Willow Manor spot, and Board & Brew, a sandwich and craft beer restaurant, is set to open in March at the former Ruby’s Diner location.

9. Sendero expansion: The new Rancho Mission Viejo community village of Sendero will continue to grow south of Rancho this year. Construction and sales will ramp up, as the community grows to 940 homes. Work also will start this year on 285 planned apartments, plus a 15-acre community park scheduled to open this fall and a 10-acre retail plaza that is planned to include a grocery store, drug store, gas station, bank, restaurants and shops.

10. Common Core: When students start the 2014-15 school year, they will be guided by new nationwide curriculum standards that are designed to stress critical thinking and a deep mastery of fewer topics and emphasize essay-style answers over multiple choice. The new Common Core State Standards began rolling out incrementally this year, and are required to be fully implemented in the fall.

11. Modjeska “dog park”: Residents were letting dogs off their leashes in Modjeska Park until complaints triggered enforcement by OC Parks in 2013. SMRPD discussed turning a portion of the community park into a dog park, building a dog park elsewhere and other options. Once official complaints stopped rolling in, the board let sleeping dogs lie – though the controversy hasn’t died.

12. Mello-Roos: Some Rancho Santa Margarita residents saw their property tax bills drop by as much as $6,170 in 2013. This year, more residents will see lower tax bills as two additional Mello-Roos districts expire. The districts were formed a few decades ago by public agencies, including the local water and school districts, to issue bonds to finance infrastructure for then-new South County communities. Public agencies, including the local water and school districts, formed these districts when developers built South County communities a few decades ago to issue bonds to finance for infrastructure. Residents have been paying off the debt through fees tacked onto their annual property tax bills. Several Capistrano Unified School District trustees have talked about ending the use of Mello-Roos districts taxing mechanism, a topic they are likely to revisit this month. To search your Mello-Roos taxes, visit cityofrsm.org.

13. Coto development: This year could see progress on multiple development projects pending in Coto. Khalda Development announced plans to build seven mansions on acreage it owns on the east side of the community. A developer bought Coto de Caza General Store in hopes of converting it into a larger retail center. Several developers also expressed interest in the former Merryhill School, with a lawsuit pending over Oak Groves LLC’s plans to buy the school site and level part of the equestrian center to build 29 luxury homes.

14. Superintendent search: A plan to recruit a replacement for the retiring superintendent of Capistrano Unified School District Superintendent is expected to be announced in January. Joe Farley, who ended a period of high turnover in the district’s top administrative post, is credited with calming political tensions in the district and returning its focus to instruction. Farley is retiring in June as his four-year contract ends.